The First Step
by threelightsgirl
Summary: An 'innocent' midnight stroll for Tom Riddle leads to a the first step down a long path of death and destruction.


Author's notes: I was prowling around at 2 in the morning, and this thought just sort of came to me…  
  
  
2:00 a.m.  
  
An eleven-year-old Tom Riddle stood blankly up at the green velvet curtains hanging above him. He couldn't sleep. He always had trouble getting to sleep. Tom sighed, tossed the blankets off him, and sat up. He was wide-awake, and staring up at a curtain in the dark did get dreadfully boring.   
  
Tom Riddle had been attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for a week now. Unnaturally intelligent, the teachers were talking about letting him skip to the third or fourth year classes, since he already had mastered the basics of spellwork. Ever since he arrived, he had spent his days at the library, reading up on all magical subjects with an insatiable thirst for knowledge about the magical world, which he had been deprived of for so long. He wished he had a book to read now, but he had already finished the one he had checked out earlier that day. If only the library was open, then he could read there instead of wasting his time staring at the ceiling.   
  
2:05 a.m.  
  
But it was the middle of the night. Who was there to stop him? Even Filch, the young but cranky janitor, had to be asleep. With feline grace, Tom slipped out of bed, and reached for his black clock. Throwing it over his shoulders, he walked silently out of the boys' dormitory. The corridors were deserted, as Tom had expected. On top of excelling at all the first year subjects, Tom's divination skills were also right on target.   
  
When he stepped into the library, it was like a whirlwind of excitement had flooded him. Tom could almost hear the books quivering with secrets for him to discover. His eyes scanned the rows of books. What should he read on tonight? He looked around at the sections. Transfiguration, Charms, Divination, History, Fiction, Magical Creatures… The Restricted Section. Students weren't allowed to read books from there, not without a signed note from a teacher. But there was no librarian to check for signed notes now… and Tom did hate it so when knowledge was kept away from him. Knowledge is power. And power is the key to greatness. Tom was going to be a great man someday.   
  
Feet walking soundlessly on the soft faded carpet, Tom crept over to the Restricted Section. His eyes skimmed the titles: Moste Potente Potions, An Amateur's Guide to the Dark Arts, Everything You Need to Know to Make Someone's Life Miserable, Revenge: the Official Handbook… The titles went on and on. They all seemed fascinating; Tom was sure no class would ever teach him any of this stuff, and he wished he had about 40 more eyes so he could read them all at once. But something told him to just browse and see what there was to choose from before selecting which to read first. He kept browsing, until a title caught his eye and held it. The Chamber of Secrets. Secrets? Sounds interesting… Tom wanted to find out what these secrets were. He pulled the book out of its place with two long pale fingers and opened it up. He couldn't know, not now, that this was his first step on the path to becoming the most feared and most powerful Dark wizard of all time. He couldn't know that within five years, he would already have taken the life of another human being. No, he was merely interested in the theory, and finding out everything he could about everything. Innocently, he read the first page.  
  
  
"The Chamber of Secrets had long been considered by many as a myth, a ludicrous legend told to fool the gullible. But, in fact, the Chamber of Secrets is as real as Hogwarts school itself…"  
  
  
Author's notes: Well, what do you think? Don't be too harsh, I wrote this while trying to tune out blaring music and people talking and whatnot, so concentration was kinda hard. Anyway, I REALLY like review. *hint, hint* One word review, flames, *anything* is welcome. So review, review please!!!!  



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